9 Days • 9 Meals
Travel by historic rails and scenic sails as we explore the sights and sounds of five New England states.
Liberty’s Legacy
We begin our New England journey in the winding streets of 17th-century Boston. Touring the Freedom Trail, the Declaration of Independence comes to life as we see Old South Church where it was first read to the people of Boston. We continue on to Paul Revere’s House and the church where two lanterns inspired his midnight ride. We see Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned warship in the world and pause at Bunker Hill to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of our forefathers who held their own against the British army as a unified force for the first time. Other evocative sites include our nation’s oldest school and the 1729 Old South Meeting House where an outraged Samuel Adams launched the Boston Tea Party. Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, is now a peaceful oasis with a history of hangings, duels and spirited speeches. Historic Quincy Market is America’s bazaar with more than 100 of the finest shops and a fleet of pushcarts featuring New England artisans and their unique wares. Patriotic shoppers will have even more choices – L.L. Bean, a discount mall, the Yankee Candle Company in Massachusetts, Cape Cod’s maritime art and unexpected finds along the way.
Riding Rails
Our first rail journey is through New Hampshire’s White Mountains on the Conway Scenic Railway. Relive this railroad’s 130-year history while soaking in the beauty of meadowlands and forests and chugging over rivers. By mid-tour we will be seasoned rail travelers in a restored coach on Vermont’s Green Mountain Flyer that winds along rivers with covered bridges. One spectacular view follows another all the way to Chester Depot, an 1852 restored train station. The depot and Chester’s Victorian houses evoke a time when neighbors served lemonade on porches and cranked ice cream by hand. The rail journeys continue on antique but comfortable trains through Connecticut’s nostalgic towns and pristine forests and then through Cape Cod’s cranberry bogs, woodlands, salt marshes, sand dunes and ocean vistas.
Raising Sails
All rail and no sail doesn’t do justice to the New England experience, so we will board a boat at Casco Bay and sail along the rocky shore of Maine with fishing fleets and yachts. Sea breezes sweep away the tensions of our pre-vacation days as we look for wooded islands, seals and seabirds. Victorian cottages slip by like postcards from the past. We cruise the Connecticut River and explore its coves and inlets aboard the Becky Thatcher. This riverboat looks like it sailed from the Mississippi River for our cruise which passes woodlands, riverfront houses and a castle. Our last nautical adventure is a tour of Hyannis Harbor in a replica of a Maine coastal steamer. Along the shore, the Kennedy Compound comes into view as we navigate the shimmering waters where a presidential yacht once sailed.
Delicious Dining
More than Boston beans are on the menu. Many of Portland’s restaurants offer spectacular bay views and please any taste from surf to turf to Italian. An after dinner stroll along the wharf can include boutique shopping or simply watching the moon rise over the ocean. Dining at your Resort Casino can be a leisurely selection of international cuisines or a trip to the bountiful buffet on our way to the slots and table games that range from blackjack to wheel of fortune. No need to check watches, as we will be spending the night.
Our dining finale is a traditional Cape Cod lobster feast with optional bibs and the traditional exchanging of addresses.
Pillow Perfect
A good night’s sleep is assured from Boston, through New England, and down to Cape Cod. We enjoy Maine hospitality with contemporary elegance and the classic ambiance of Vermont. Our Casino Resort is a world of luxury nestled in Connecticut’s heartland and closer to nature than traffic. Our rooms on Cape Cod are just a brisk walk to Cape Cod Bay, making our final night a memory infused with clean, salty air and the eternal sound of the sea.
Hotel Accommodations
Day One – Doubletree Hotel Downtown or Hyatt Regency, Boston, Massachusetts
Day Two – Holiday Inn By The Bay, Portland, Maine
Days Three and Four – Green Granite Inn or Holiday Inn Express, North Conway,
New Hampshire
Day Five – The Inn of the Six Mountains, Killington or Holiday Inn, Rutland, Vermont
Day Six – Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, Uncasville, or Foxwoods, Ledyard, Connecticut
Days Seven and Eight – Holiday Inn or Radisson Hotel, Hyannis, Massachusetts
Day by Day
• Services of a professional Tour Manager
• 9 Meals (4 dinners and 5 breakfasts)
• Round trip airport transfers
Day One
• Arrive in Boston with included
transfers to your hotel
• Meet your Tour Manager in the hotel lobby at 6 p.m. for dining suggestions
Day Two
• City tour of Boston with a local guide
• Dinner at at one of Portland’s
bayside restaurants
Day Three
• Casco Bay Cruise
• White Mountains of New Hampshire
Day Four
• Breakfast at your hotel
• Conway Scenic Railroad
Day Five
• Breakfast at your hotel
• Drive the scenic Kancamagus Highway
• Dinner
Day Six
• Breakfast at your hotel
• Vermont’s Green Mountain Flyer
• Free time at your Casino Resort
• Dinner
Day Seven
• Breakfast at your hotel
• Essex Steam Train
• Riverboat Becky Thatcher
Day Eight
• Hyannis Harbor Cruise
• Cape Cod Central Railroad
• Lobster dinner
Day Nine
• Breakfast at your hotel
• Group transfer to Boston Logan Airport for flights after 4 p.m.
2008 Departure Dates
September 16, 18*, 20, 23, 25*, 27, 30
October 2*, 4, 7, 9*, 11
*These departures will
operate in reverse order.
Per Person Rates
Twin $1,769
Single add $899
Triple deduct $16
Call for air rates and schedules from your city to and from Boston.
Rooms for the night before the tour are available. Cost for a room in Boston is $299, tax included.
